MEMORIES of local bands such as The Strollers will be recalled at a reunion next week for former members of Rudheath Youth Club from the 1960s.

It takes place on Saturday, November 24 at Rudheath Social Club in Middlewich Road.

The reunion will feature a 60s disco plus live music from Barry Whitehead and his group Tightrope.

The youth clubbers of 40 years ago will remember Barry playing guitar for The Strollers, who were one of several groups formed by club members.

Towards the end of the 1950s many teenagers in Rudheath met in the old Pensions Hut at the back of Middlewich Road ­ where Wentworth Drive now stands. Every Saturday night the walls of the hut throbbed to rock music from resident band John Dean and The Aces.

It quickly became apparent more room was needed so a plot of land next to the hut was leased from ICI and a former squadron office from Blacon Camp at Chester was bought and dismantled over several weekends by a dedicated group of adults and teenagers.

Grants and donations led to the opening in the early 1960s. The club operated five nights a week, staffed by volunteers. As well as live music on Saturdays, there was football, netball, snooker, table tennis and many inter-club activities.

One of the old members, Eric Pimlatt, said: 'Membership fees were one shilling and sixpence a week (the equivalent of 7.5p now) with membership restricted to those living between Northwich Railway Bridge and the Northwich Bypass.'

The lease on the land eventually ran out and the County Youth Centre off Gadbrook Road came along. The cash left from the old youth club was kept in trust and a minibus bought for the new centre.

- A reunion in April attracted 60 people. Tickets for next week are £5 which includes a buffet. For details call Rodney Crank on 41607.